Feast of the Holy Family and Happy birthday my love -- repost from marriage blog

http://amarriagefullofhope.blogspot.com/2010/12/happy-birthday-my-love.html

Today as we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family, we also celebrate my husband's birthday. I was so happy to attend Mass together with my husband not only on his birthday but also on a great feast day as well. We went to Mass at The Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle in St. Petersburg.

Readings for Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph

First reading: Sirach 3: 2-6, 12-14
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 128: 1-2, 3, 4-5
Second Reading: Colossians 3: 12-21
Gospel: Matthew 2: 13-15, 19-23

Each reading today looked at the role of each member of the family with a lot of emphasis on the Father. We are given the qualities it takes to be a good family and good member of that family.

We both look to the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as our prime example of what it means to be a family and the importance of a family. We know that not only do we possess the things we need to be the wife, mother, daughter, sister, husband, father, brother, and son that we are meant to be but we also know that God's grace is sufficient enough to be all these things.

I ask and pray as a blessing on my darling husband on this day of his birth that he may someday be the father that the Lord intended him to be. I ask St. Joseph to intercede for him. I pray that he may have the humble heart of St. Joseph to lead and his family and the Lord commands him.

Happy birthday to my amazing and wonderful husband!

Solemnity of Christ the King -- Last Sunday of Liturgical year

November 21, 2010

The Solemnity of Christ the King
Last Sunday of the Liturgical Year

Incarnation Catholic Church
Priest: Father Mike

http://www.usccb.org/nab/112110.shtml

First reading: 2 Samuel 5:1-3 “Here we are, your bone and your flesh.”
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 122: 1-2, 3-4, 4-5 “I rejoiced when I heard them say, ‘Let us go unto the house of the Lord.’ ”
Second reading: Colossians 1: 12-22 “Give thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.”
Gospel: Luke 23:35-43 “ ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied to him, ‘Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’ “

Homily

Theme: A closer look into today’s second reading Colossians 1: 12-22

Today’s second reading talks about the affects of Christ.

In St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians, he states that ALL things are created in Him – “whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.”

We know that Christ is pervasive. There is nothing that is untouched by Him.

All will be presented before Christ at the end whether as Savior or as judge.

Christ as King

Requirements to be King:

Kingdom/Land: Christ’s Kingdom = Everything
Authority or Power over people: Christ’s power = offered freely, never forced
Inheritance: Christ’s inheritance = supernatural life

In the second reading, it states “in him were created all things in heaven and on earth.”
Worldly kings impose their power over all their people. Christ did not impose His power over us but offers it to us freely. He knocks but we have to be the ones to open the door and let Him in.
Christ gives us the ability to handle our struggles that we face in life. We can overcome anything that comes our way through Christ Jesus.

We are often deceived by the evil one and chase rainbows that are empty. All our material goods and wealth will not satisfy us.

Christ has everything that we need and more.

The second reading states, “in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell.”

Let the love and mercy of Christ the King be our comfort.

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time -- Respect Life Sunday

October 3, 2010

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time -- Respect Life Sunday
Church of the Incarnation, Sarasota, FL
Priest: Father Mike

First reading: Habakkuk 1: 2-3, 2: 2-4 "The rash on has no integrity; but the just one, because of his faith, shall live."
Psalm 95: "If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts."
Second reading: 2 Timothy 1: 6-8, 13-14
Gospel: Luke 17: 5-10 "Increase your faith" "When you have done all you have been commanded say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.' "

Notes from Homily (Respect Life Sunday)

We can use the life of Christ as our example for respecting life.

Annunciation (Luke 1:31-35) This shows us the very beginning of life. From the very moment of conception, there is life within the mother's womb.

Visitation (Luke 1:41-44) This shows that even in the womb at the earliest stages of pregnancy there is life growing within the mother's womb.

Presentation at the temple (Luke 2:25-32, 36-38) Through Simeon and Anna's interactions with the infant Jesus we see a respect and dignity for the elderly and those who are advanced in years.

The Samaritan woman at the well (John 4: 1-42) It is through Christ's interaction with the woman at the well that we see a respect for all life regardless of gender but especially in the dignity of woman.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep (Matthew 18: 12-14) It is through this parable that we learn a respect for those who are lost and seeking to return home again including the homeless and those who have no one to pray for them.

Jesus' interaction with the lepers. It is through this that we have a respect for those who are considered outcasts in our communities.

Jesus' interaction with the poor, downtrodden, and vulnerable. It is through this interaction that we see a respect for the sick and dying.

As we follow and look at the life of Jesus, we see and learn a respect for all life in all stages, backgrounds, status, and situations in life.

Readings for First Sunday of Advent

First Reading: Isaiah 63: 16b-17; 19b; 64: 2-7
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 80: 2-3; 15-16; 18-19
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1: 3-9
Gospel: Mark 13: 33-37

Notes taken from Homily at St Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church Sunday, November 30

First Reading: We were wandering about without focus. God come down from heaven and save us. We need to have the attitude to allow God to form and shape us into something beautiful and useful. We give God permission to mold us. "We are the clay and you are the potter: We are the work of your hands"

Second Reading: This talks about how God's graces work in us the community of faith. We look forward to God's graces working in us as a community.

Gospel: Be watchful and be alert. There are diversions that take us away from God that make it hard to examine our conscience and pray our conscience and pray. Be watchful and slow down. Do less and not more to be more attentive to the works of Jesus Christ. Be a person of prayer. Be watchful, alert, and centered on the Lord.

How can we be more watchful? This is the challenge for the Advent season. Let us be more watchful as we wait for the birth of Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 40: 28-31

Did you not know? Had you not heard? Yahweh is the everlasting God, he created the remotest parts of the earth. He does not grow tired or weary, his understanding is beyond fathoming. He gives strength to the weary, he strengthens the powerless. Youths grow tired and weary, the young stumble and fall, but those who hope in Yahweh will regain their strength, they will sprout wings like eagles, though they run they will not grow weary, though they walk they will never tire. --Isaiah 40:28-31

A few favorite passages

Tonight I wanted to put together a teaching that has been in my heart after attending this weekend's charismatic Catholic conference. But instead I dug up my concordance (the greatest Bible study companion) to look up a few passages that have inspired me or that I remember. I've always had some good old favorites. Ones that most people are familiar with of course. But there are a few that I have struck a cord with me over the last few months. I will share a few of them here. They say us Catholics are not too knowledgeable of The Word but I want to change that. I want to spend more time studying The Word.

Matthew 22: 37 The greatest commandment "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind."

Matthew 22: 39 The second greatest commandment "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Matthew 5: 44-48 Love your enemies

Matthew 18: 21-22 How often must I forgive?

John 15: 13 True friendship "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends."

Jeremiah 29: 11 An old SFC favorite "For I know well the plans I have in mind for your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future full of hope."

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 To everything there is a season

1 Corinthians 13 "Love is patient. Love is kind..Faith, hope, and love remain these three, but the greatest of these is LOVE."

Matthew 5: 3-10 The Beatitudes

Matthew 6: 9-11 "...Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done..."

John 3: 16 Who doesn't know this one? "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life."

1 Corinthians 12: 12-26 One Body, Many Parts

Genesis 2: 18- 24 A suitable partner for man

I could probably go on and on forever. There is so much wisdom and truth in The Word. Every answer you need to know is in The Word. It might not be the answer you want to hear or how you want things to end, but it is not about us and what we want. It is about what God has mastered for us. It is about His master plan for us. Believe what is in the Bible. It is The Truth.